Although the disc is not specific to OPPO players, OPPO assisted with its production. Many thanks!

Although the disc is not specific to OPPO players, OPPO assisted with its production. Many thanks!

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'''Tip''': The disc is available separately from OPPO at the [http://www.oppodigital.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BDSM1R Spears & Munsil order page].

'''Tip''': The disc is available separately from OPPO at the [http://www.oppodigital.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BDSM1R Spears & Munsil order page].

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It is also listed at [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001UM29OC/ Amazon: Spears & Munsil] and is sold by AVSForum (link?)

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It is also listed at [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001UM29OC/ Amazon: Spears & Munsil] and is sold by [http://www.avscience.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89&Itemid=116 AVSForum].

Yes, both the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVCHD AVCHD] and HDMV versions of the [http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=948496 AVS HD 709] calibration disc work on this player when burned onto DVD. I presume they work on burnable Blu-ray media also, but haven't tested it.

Yes, both the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVCHD AVCHD] and HDMV versions of the [http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=948496 AVS HD 709] calibration disc work on this player when burned onto DVD. I presume they work on burnable Blu-ray media also, but haven't tested it.

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The AVCHD version will also work when copied onto a USB device. See [#is-avchd-video-supported Is AVCHD video supported?]

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The AVCHD version will also work when copied onto a USB device. See [[BDP-83_Media_Files_FAQ#Is_AVCHD_video_supported.3F| Is AVCHD video supported?]]

Some AVRs and displays give only lip service to 12 bit 4:2:2 or Deep Color 4:4:4 -- accepting the format as input but then immediately stripping off some or all of the low order bits prior to actually using that video stream. For example, many so-called Deep Color displays have physical display elements that can only handle up to 10 bits per component. The video processing engines inside the display feeding those display elements may also only do their math at 10 bits per component or even 8 bits.

Some AVRs and displays give only lip service to 12 bit 4:2:2 or Deep Color 4:4:4 -- accepting the format as input but then immediately stripping off some or all of the low order bits prior to actually using that video stream. For example, many so-called Deep Color displays have physical display elements that can only handle up to 10 bits per component. The video processing engines inside the display feeding those display elements may also only do their math at 10 bits per component or even 8 bits.

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Using greater than 8-bit computations when doing Chroma Upsampling to restore full color resolution may do something to preserve a more accurate color image, but it is a very minor effect.

Using greater than 8-bit computations when doing Chroma Upsampling to restore full color resolution may do something to preserve a more accurate color image, but it is a very minor effect.

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-TEXT CD-Text] is shown on the On Screen Display: album name, artist and track title.

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-TEXT CD-Text] is shown on the On Screen Display: album name, artist and track title.

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* You can play [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVCHD AVCHD]. See [#is-avchd-video-supported Is AVCHD video supported?]

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* You can play [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVCHD AVCHD]. See [[BDP-83_Media_Files_FAQ#Is_AVCHD_video_supported.3F| Is AVCHD video supported?]]

* You can get Slow playback in forward and reverse by pressing '''Pause''' and then using the '''FWD''' and '''REV''' buttons. The speed steps are 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2. (This is in the [http://download.oppodigital.com/BDP83/BDP-83_English_Manual.pdf manual] now: ''Basic Operations'' -> ''Slow Playback'').

* You can get Slow playback in forward and reverse by pressing '''Pause''' and then using the '''FWD''' and '''REV''' buttons. The speed steps are 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2. (This is in the [http://download.oppodigital.com/BDP83/BDP-83_English_Manual.pdf manual] now: ''Basic Operations'' -> ''Slow Playback'').

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* If you are using '''Pure mode''' while listening to music (the Pure Audio button at the top left of the remote), the video output will be black and the front panel display will be turned off. But you can still see the time code momentarily in the Front Panel display by pressing the '''Light button on the bottom right of the remote'''. How many remotes do you know which transmit a useful IR code when you press the button to turn on their back light?

Does the player resume at the last position when a disc is reloaded?

Yes, as long as BD-Java on the disc doesn't prevent it.
According to the manual (Advanced Operations / Memory and Automatic Resume) the player will remember the stopping point of up to five discs when they are ejected or the player is powered off.
Blu-ray discs with BD-Java cannot be resumed by the player automatically. You have to use the programming on the disc (if such exists) to set a bookmark or some other saved point.
The studios are responsible for disc authoring issues that the player cannot override.

Note: If you don't want the disc position to be remembered, press Stop twice before ejecting the disc or turning off the player, or press Stop when the "resuming" message appears when the disc is loading.

Can output resolution and other controls be changed during playback?

Yes, most adjustments can be made on-the-fly without halting playback.
The manual (Advanced Operations / Output Resolution) recommends ejecting the disc before changing resolutions. I don't know why this would be necessary, other than perhaps to minimize HDMI handshaking issues with touchy A/V receivers or displays. Changing output resolution during playback seems to work fine.

Does the AVS HD 709 calibration disc work on this player?

Yes, both the AVCHD and HDMV versions of the AVS HD 709 calibration disc work on this player when burned onto DVD. I presume they work on burnable Blu-ray media also, but haven't tested it.
The AVCHD version will also work when copied onto a USB device. See Is AVCHD video supported?

Does the player have a setup wizard?

Yes, see the manual (Installation / Setting Up the Player - Easy Setup Wizard).
The Wizard runs the first time the player is turned on. If you prefer you can cancel it and make all your adjustments with the Setup menu directly. Of course, all the settings the Wizard makes can be changed manually later.
See the manual text for a complete description. The Wizard steps are:

Full Screen for black bar haters. This works for both 4:3 and widescreen "Scope" titles. It zooms them just enough to eliminate the black bars on the sides or above and below. The image is trimmed on the edges but the aspect ratio is otherwise correct.Note that Full Screen is also the correct setting for zooming 4:3 letterboxed DVDs to full screen width.

The special Zoom settings are available only for HDMI. Component output uses a series of linear scaling steps.

Does the player support Deep Color?

Yes, see the manual (Setup Menu Options / HDMI Options / HDMI Deep Color).
The entire display chain must be HDMI 1.3 or later, and must support Deep Color, which is an optional, not mandatory part of the HDMI 1.3 standard.
Note that there are no Deep Color Blu-ray or DVD discs.
There is no interpolation for Deep Color in the BDP-83 or its Anchor Bay ABT2010 video processor. The extra bits (color depth) available in the HDMI 1.3 Deep Color mode are used to preserve the precision of calculation. For example, any time color up-sampling, color space conversion, brightness and contrast adjustment, and other video processing is applied to the 8-bit/channel signal, the result can have fractions. In an 8-bit system the fractions are truncated, but in the Deep Color mode the fractions are preserved so the data delivered to the display is more accurate.

Note

Some AVRs and displays give only lip service to 12 bit 4:2:2 or Deep Color 4:4:4 -- accepting the format as input but then immediately stripping off some or all of the low order bits prior to actually using that video stream. For example, many so-called Deep Color displays have physical display elements that can only handle up to 10 bits per component. The video processing engines inside the display feeding those display elements may also only do their math at 10 bits per component or even 8 bits.

Some Deep Color displays only actually implement Deep Color if you are feeding them a 1080p/24fps video stream -- i.e., not 1080p/50 or 1080p/60.

The result of all of this is that sometimes the only way to know what format is best for the HDMI connection is simply to try them all and see.

A Rant

I hope people understand that Deep Color does not mean "deeper color" and that it is of (nearly?) negligible benefit when playing Blu-ray and DVD discs.

Deep Color does not make your blacks "blacker" or your reds "redder." The most you can get along those lines is a characteristic of your display, not of the disc or player.

Deep Color (which ought to be called "greater than 8-bit color") provides a finer gradation of shades between the colors encoded on the disc. It is conceivable that Deep Color might reduce banding in some images, although I never see banding in real films (as opposed to cheaply produced logos and fx screens). Someone could produce a test pattern demonstrating the effect with and without, but I haven't seen one yet.

The sad truth is that Blu-ray and DVD use the same rather limited 8-bit greyscale and color gamut.

(Rec 601 vs Rec 709 is a very slight standards difference, not a change in gamut).

Turning on Deep Color doesn't change that. Both disc formats record their images as 8-bit YCbCr4:2:0, meaning the color resolution is only 1/4 that of the black-and-white resolution.

(This saves a lot of space and the eye is rather insensitive to color resolution anyway).

Using greater than 8-bit computations when doing Chroma Upsampling to restore full color resolution may do something to preserve a more accurate color image, but it is a very minor effect.

Does it come with an HDMI cable?

Yes. Length: 6ft.
OPPO says:

The cable has been tested and verified to support 1080p/60Hz with 36-bits Deep Color. We have not gone through the certification process for the HDMI 1.3 or Category 2 ratings.

Can subtitles be repositioned?

No, not at the moment. Maybe in the future.

Note: This is a feature the Constant Image Height users would like. It would shift subtitles out of the black bars and onto the image itself.

Anyone using full screen zoom could also benefit.

Why is it so difficult to shift subtitles on Blu-ray?

Although it is possible to shift subtitles on DVD, this is much more difficult on Blu-ray.

Subtitles are part of the "protected video path" which is cryptographically protected. A vendor would need permission and certified code from the BDA to break into the path and adjust the subtitles. So far, this support has not been forthcoming.

Since subtitles occupy a tiny amount of disc space, the studios could easily provide alternative subtitle tracks shifted into the image area, but this practice has not been widely adopted. Immortal Beloved is a title that does it this way.

Are there custom output resolutions like 768 or 1024?

No.

Can the front panel be turned off entirely?

Yes, as per the manual (Setup Menu Options / Device Setup / Dimmer Control).
This can be done either from the remote or from the Setup menu.
The power light remains on.

Does the player support 1080i50 Blu-ray sources?

Yes, 1080i50 content is supported. The output depends on the player resolution and TV System settings:

when resolution is Source Direct: 1080i50

other resolution settings produce the expected result and the frame rate is determined by the TV System setting:

when TV System is NTSC: 60hz

when TV System is PAL or Multi: 50hz

There is no 24p output available for this type of source.
Obviously, your display must be capable of receiving a 50hz signal if you want to use one of those options.
Frame rate conversion is handled by the ABT chip when Primary Output is set to HDMI, or by the decoder chip when Primary Output is set to Component. We do not have details on the frame rate conversion algorithms.
See the List of Blu-ray movies authored in 1080i50.

What HDMI CEC functions does the player support?

OPPO says: The HDMI CEC controls are based off of the commands typically used by Sony. They are designed only for the most basic of functionality, such as Power On/Off and play controls. They are not designed to support advanced functions like Resolution or Setup.

Are there any hidden features?

Pressing Eject on the remote will power on the player and eject the tray.

If you press and hold the Setup button on the remote you will get the Picture Adjustment menu directly.

Pressing the Display button for 10 or 15 seconds will reset the Video Setup options when you release the button. This includes the HDMI Options but not the Picture Adjustment settings. This is handy if you've accidentally made a change (Color Space, for example) that your display does not accept.

For DVD the Top Menu remote button is the same as TITLE, and the Popup Menu remote button is the same as the MENU function on DVD remotes. (Not all discs use both functions).

When playing DVD (not Blu-ray), pressing the YELLOW button on the remote will take you to chapter 1 of the longest title on the disc. You can use this during startup to skip the introductory material.

When playing DVD, the BLUE button performs the random/shuffle cycle for titles and chapters, just as with media files and audio tracks.

JACKET_P images on DVD are supported. JACKET_P is optional cover art that displays when a disc is stopped.

You can get Slow playback in forward and reverse by pressing Pause and then using the FWD and REV buttons. The speed steps are 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2. (This is in the manual now: Basic Operations -> Slow Playback).

If you are using Pure mode while listening to music (the Pure Audio button at the top left of the remote), the video output will be black and the front panel display will be turned off. But you can still see the time code momentarily in the Front Panel display by pressing the Light button on the bottom right of the remote. How many remotes do you know which transmit a useful IR code when you press the button to turn on their back light?